We've been getting reports about the Superman prequel series Krypton for almost two years. Now, that slow trickle of information has finally led to the first casting announcement. British actress Georgina Campbell has landed the lead female role in the series. Take a look.
Georgina Campbell will take on the female lead in Syfy's drama Krypton, currently named Lyta Zod. The show will, as indicated by the title, take place on Superman's home world of Krypton, but two generations before the future Man of Steel was sent hurtling toward Earth as a baby and the destruction of his planet. Krypton will follow Superman's grandfather, the currently un-cast Seg-El, as he tries to redeem the name of the ostracized and shamed House of El, and also save the world from what he believes will be its fiery death. According to Deadline, Lyta Zod is the daughter of General Alura Zod, and is, herself, a cadet in Krypton's military. She's also carrying on a secret, and very much forbidden, affair with Seg-El.
This role will serve as Campbell's American television debut. The actress got her start in the British TV series Freak in 2009, and has gone on to amass almost 20 credits, mostly on TV. She's appeared in shows such as Sadie J, One Night, Death in Paradise, The Dumping Ground, and the TV mini-series Ice Cream Girls. Campbell is best known across the pond for her work in the TV movie Murdered by My Boyfriend, for which she received the 2015 BAFTA TV Award for Best Leading Actress. She will next appear in Guy Ritchie's King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, due out in March 2017.
I have to say, I think this is a fantastic idea for a series. It sounds like it will be filled with the kind of political and personal intrigue (and at least some of the sex) that has made shows like Game of Thrones, Scandal and The Americans popular during recent years. Obviously, though, the big difference with this show is that some of the elements of those shows will be filtered through the lens of DC lore. And, the focus on things that haven't been covered in the comics will give audiences a chance to revel in comic book history without needing to be fully aware of all the ins and outs of Superman's various stories in the comics.
DC has been doing fantastic things on TV for the past few years. The CW will have Arrow, The Flash and Supergirl sharing a universe this fall, while FOX continues with Season 3 of Gotham, their own DC prequel show. All those series have been praised by fans and critics alike, so let's hope that Georgina Campbell and the rest of Syfy's Krypton cast and crew will be able to carve out their own super-cool niche among television's DC shows when it debuts.
